Circa 1898 Howard Reiter Princeton Football Signed Cabinet Card - Inventor of the Overhead Spiral Forward Pass!

Sold For:

$2,400

Year:

1899

Auction:

2018 Fall

Lot #:

2293

Category:

Football Cards or Memorabilia

Exceedingly rare signed cabinet card of Howard Reiter, Princeton All-America football player and the man credited by some as having developed the forward spiral pass. The photo captures Reiter in uniform as a member of the Princeton football team as he poses in front of the grandstand. Inscribed in black fountain pen "Howard R. Reiter/"Bosey." ("Bosey" was his nickname). There is another badly faded word written below his signature, which might read "Princeton," followed by the year, "'98." The signature, which contrasts poorly against the dark background of his uniform, is clearly legible upon close inspection and grades "4" overall. The photographer's credit stamp ("F. Gutekunst/1700 N. Broad Street/Branch of 712 Arch St./Phila., PA.") appears on the reverse and his last name ("Gutekunst") is engraved along the base of the mount on the front. This the first cabinet photo of Reiter we have ever seen and the fact that it is also signed makes it especially appealing, as his signature is also exceedingly rare. Reiter was an All-American at Princeton in 1899 and also played professionally in 1902 with the Philadelphia Athletics of the first National Football League (the league lasted only one season and had no ties to the current National Football League). It was with Philadelphia in 1902 that Reiter is often credited with having developed the forward spiral pass. During his head-coaching tenure at Wesleyan University (1903-1909), he became the first coach to build his offense around the use of the forward pass after it was made legal in 1906. Reiter also coached at Lehigh University (1910-1911), where he served as the school's athletic director from 1910 to 1934. Reiter died in 1957 at the age of 86. The cabinet (5 x 9 inches) displays a heavy horizontal crease along the top of the mount (just above, but not touching the photo) and is otherwise in Excellent condition overall. Auction LOA from James Spence/JSA. Pre-certified by Steve Grad and Brian Sobrero/Beckett Authentication Services.



Reserve $200. Estimate (open).